


say yes

by kaixo (ballpoint)



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Gen, K-pop References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 01:50:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16075841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballpoint/pseuds/kaixo
Summary: Eric keeps meaning to ask Dele out. He has everything planned out, but something or the other keeps popping up. Featuring Dele completely oblivious to Eric's attempts.





	say yes

"Hey, Dele!" Eric called out, shouting across the canteen. 

Dele lifted his head, breaking away from his animated conversation with Sonny. Sonny, who'd come back from the Asian games, with gold medal in tow. Still blazing with the accomplishment of it, like a star gone nova.

"Dier," Dele waved at him, mouth half full, his salmon with vegetables on the table before him. Eric slid into the empty seat, his lunch tray in hand. Each table had four chairs, the table small enough for players to lean forward and have conversations, either whispered or boisterous.

"Eric," Sonny greeted, pushing back a shock of his wayward fringe. He had yet to get a haircut since he'd been back.

"Sonny," Eric grinned, doing a modified flourish of a handshake across the table. "Congratulations again."

"Thanks," Sonny bubbled. 

If _joy_ were in human form, Sonny would have been the pure personification of it. Face split by the width of his grin, eyes sparkling with elation and pride. Eric couldn’t hate on anyone getting a win, especially not Sonny. But this wasn’t why he had bust a gut crossing the room to get here. 

Squaring up, he turned to Dele. “Hey, Dele,” he started, “Do you think--?”

“Oh, I forgot!” Sonny exclaimed, throwing his hands up as if saying, surprise! “I’m having a small barbecue next Wednesday afternoon? If you want to come?”

“I--” Eric began. 

“Text me,” Sonny said, “especially if you have any... in-juries? To shellfish?”

“I think you mean, _allergies_ ,” Dele corrected politely. 

“Yeah!” Sonny nodded with a grin. “For sure! I wouldn’t want you to --- be poor?”

“Poorly.” Dele patted Sonny’s forearm, causing Eric to raise an eyebrow. God love him, Dele was _many_ good things, but patience with ESL speakers wasn’t one of them. Dele wasn’t above the sharp jeer, so this was new. 

“Yeah,” Sonny took the correction with small, sharp nod. “I wouldn’t want you to be poorly, Eric,” he finished. “Text me your _allergies_ , please.”

“I think I’ll be fine,” Eric replied. 

“Great,” Sonny said. 

And like that, Eric’s chance was gone. 

No matter, he told himself. It was like... going for a win in a ninety minute match. There were always other chances.

***

_Come on,_ Eric told himself, looking in the rear view mirror of his vehicle two days later. Normally, he’d be inside, getting ready to train. Instead of waiting in the car park, arms folded across his chest for a second. Looked at the cars drawing up, filling in their slots like a monochrome colouring book. Most cars in shades of black, silver-grey and cream. The odd red and sea-foam blue for novelty.

Waving at Chris and Toby as they waved back, hurrying past. 

Leaning forward and drumming his fingers on the steering wheel the next. 

Flicking the radio on, popular music blaring out, someone screaming in glee at the DJ about winning this morning’s cash prize. 

Shutting it off, silence rushing in the confines of the car. 

_All you have to do... is ask_ he told himself, voice in his head sounding like that old song in that banking commercial, complete with cracks in its grooves. 

It’s not as if he and Dele didn’t _know_ each other. It was not as if they weren’t already... friends. 

There was no reason why this should be hard. Just open his mouth and --- _there it was_. 

Eric straightened from his slouch, hand on the door handle. He knew the sound of Dele’s auto anywhere. Saw the door open, and Dele coming out, abstractly looking at his watch. Face slack with relief and Eric knew why. 

Dele tended to run... later than the others. 

Not _late_ because Pochettino wasn’t one to entertain _tardiness_. 

But late enough for Eric to wince, because, well. 

On a breath, before he changed his mind, he pushed himself up and out. Eyes on Dele, so focused on his friend, that at first, he didn’t hear the adjoining voice. Didn’t see--

“Dier.”

“Harry,” Eric raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here?”

At Harry’s raised eyebrows, Eric shook his head. “I mean,” he stopped himself, made his voice friendlier. “I mean, what are you doing --”

“Bumming a ride with me, you mean?” Dele grinned, leaning in, and grabbing his wash-bag from the backseat of his car. 

“Yeah.” Eric drawled. “I... meant. That.”

Harry rolled his eyes good naturedly. Hair slicked back, bright eyed even though he had two active children at home. Eric, wise in the ways of little ones, could only shake his head. Harry had the luck of a good partner, which might have been its own super power, really. 

“Eric,” Dele greeted with their customary handshake. This one less of a flourish than the one he did with Son, or even Harry. Dele, being Dele, finished it with a hug, the breath squeezed out of Eric’s chest with a _whoosh_. His throat tight, his hands filled with Dele, their cheeks pressed against each other. 

“Dele,” Eric breathed, and Harry, being Harry, just patted Eric’s shoulder. “Alright then?” Harry said, before loping off, leaving them both alone. 

“Harry,” Eric asked, as they walked on, Dele’s arm looping through Eric’s as if they were promenading on a Sunday instead of turning up for training. “Really?”

“His car needs a service, I was near enough... so...” Dele finished with a shrug. 

“So.” Eric repeated. He inhaled, because this was his chance. Sun bright and the air warm for September, and Harry was far ahead just in case --- 

“Dele.”

“Hmm?”

“Would you li --?”

“Hey!” Harry turned around, his voice carrying over the car park. 

“Wow,” Dele murmured, “H doesn't half shout, does he?”

“I mean,” Eric pressed on, “how about u--?”

“We’re going to be late!” Harry stopped, clapped his hands, geeing them on. “Chop! Chop!” Harry now waving his arms forward in exaggerated movements, as if directing a plane to land on a jet carrier. 

Dele broke away, sending Eric a brilliant smile that squeezed his heart with the unrelenting pressure of a fist. 

“Race you,” he said, both of them knowing when it came to speed, Eric was a bit heavy footed, the tosser. 

But that didn’t stop him from chasing after Dele, who was hot on Harry’s heels. Them whooping and yelling as they charged near to the doors of the training centre, dropping into silence as they slipped inside. 

Later, Eric breathed. He’d ask later.

***

“You should just ask him,” Harry said later, hands on hips, studs of his football boots resting lightly on the ball.

“I don’t know what are you talking about,” Eric muttered, blowing out a breath. Training for this part of the day now over, but Harry and Eric both stayed after training, practising their spot kicks. 

Dele and Sonny had hared off, because Sonny’s celebratory barbecue was --- tomorrow. 

Eric had stayed behind. Not that he’d be called up for free kicks, not with Chris, Tripps, and H jostling for pole position, but Eric wasn’t above keeping his hand - or in this case - foot in. 

“Really,” Harry said, eyeing the mannequins that stood in front of the goal, mimicking footballers standing for a set piece. Directly in front of them, a line of Nike footballs, ready to be practiced on. This particular training ground with grass the consistency and evenness of carpet underfoot. 

“Really,” Eric repeated. 

Harry didn’t say a word, took a step back. Then another. And another. Did that smooth lope of movement only he could do, hitting the ball with his laces, the power pushing the orb in the air with a whoosh, swinging into an acute arc, as it fell from its aborted orbit, bouncing off the crossbar. 

“Ugh,” Harry made a face. 

“Three out of five?” Eric asked. 

“He’ll say yes,” Harry continued, as if he hadn’t missed his effort at goal. “That’s a sure thing. Unlike this.”

Eric didn’t say a word, taking his turn running up to the other ball. A frustrated hiss as the ball bounced off his instep. Arced over the mannequins, flattened into a line, sailed past the goal. He’d put too much welly on it, like Ben would have said. 

“Five out of seven,” Harry suggested.

***

“Eric!” Sonny greeted, tinsel crown on his head, South Korean flag hung around his shoulders like a cape. “You are here!”

Before Eric could even say, _Well, yeah?_ , Sonny’s arms squeezing around him like a vice. 

Eric laughed, as he felt himself being lifted up and spun around. The sounds of K-Pop in the air, _unironically_ , as people danced in the background. Eric passed through the kitchen, placing his contribution of non-alcoholic chasers on the counter, grabbing a bowl of _bibim mandu_ , complete with chopsticks, tripping out into the backyard. 

“Heyyyy. Eric,” and that was Victor.

“Starting on the Korean pancakes, I see,” Eric said drily. Victor had no shame though. “Not like pasta,” he smiled, complete with doughy dimples, “But it’s good.”

Korean food was good on every level, Eric had to admit. Before Sonny had rocked up to the club, he’d thought of Korean food as a generic thing like... food from that part of the world. Sonny had put paid to that, treating his new teammates to Korean cuisine the first time he came to the club, and many times after. 

Eric loved the food, and Sonny. But K-pop?

That was a music genre too far. Even when it was a jolly, rocking song like this one. But, Eric asked himself, who would---

“ _But not today_ ,” a voice sang, loudly and off key. A voice as familiar as his own, and Eric didn’t even turn around. Braced himself for the incoming hug, Dele’s arms around his shoulders. 

Like Sonny, Dele had a tinsel crown on his head, cheeks flushed with mirth and probably _soju_. 

“Eric,” Dele breathed, pressing their foreheads together. “You’re here!”

“I am.”

“And ---” Dele reached over, nicking one of the sticky dumplings. Popped it into his mouth and chewing noisily. “So good,” he cooed between chews. Eric stared at his friend, Dele’s eyes half closed with the pleasure of it. 

“It is,” Eric said, amused despite himself. “Dele,” he began, the roar of noise around them. Both half swaying to the K-pop beat in the background. “Will you--?”

Dele frowned, angling his head to lean in. “Wait, I can’t--”

“Dele!” 

“Sonny!” Eric hissed, angling his head, and --- Jan, Toby, Mousa -- was that a --- _oh, no_. 

“CONGA LINE!” Sonny shouted, arm shooting up, stabbing the air as he lead the line, with Harry’s hands on his shoulders. 

“H!” Eric cried in the tone of the betrayed. Harry waved at him, bouncing ahead. 

“Come on,” Dele laughed, grabbed at Eric’s wrist, and with other hand, pushed Eric’s bowl towards Victor. “Hold this,” he said. 

Victor laughed, passing the bowl to Juan who was standing nearby, greeting the bowl with a surprised smile. Oh, great, Eric thought fleetingly. He was never going to see that bowl again. 

Before Eric could even _think_ , they were off. Never mind that the backyard was entirely too small to do a Conga line, people squishing and bunching as they shuffled around the odd garden furniture and brushing along the wall. Surprisingly, the k-pop songs got even worse, and Dele, who only obviously only had taste in his mouth -and _nowhere else in his life_ \- actually _knew the lyrics_ and sang even louder. 

Dele’s hands on each of his shoulders, his voice singing something about _Idol_ in his ear. The tug on his shoulders left and right to the rhythm of the song. Eric stopped, turned around. Dele bouncing against him. Half skidding, Eric swung his hand out, fingers and palm scratched along the ivy which covered the wall. 

“Whoa!” Dele’s eyes widened, Eric bracing for impact as Dele’s body slammed into his. The ivy wreathed chain linked fence absorbing the shock of their bodies. Dele’s hands on either side of Eric’s head. Both of them breathing heavily, as if they’d done one of Pochettino’s suicide runs, instead of a Conga line done to the bops of K-pop. 

“Yeah,” Eric breathed. Close enough to count the individual lashes on Dele’s eyelids. Everything disappearing from view but him. “Hey, Del-boy.”

“Yeah?” Dele asked, the expression on his face quizzical. 

“Can't we ---”

“Hey--”

At Eric’s sharp look, Toby held up his hands, palm facing, as he backed away.  
Dele followed Eric’s gaze, “Alright, Toby?”

Toby shrugged his shoulders, sending a sympathetic look in Eric’s direction. His eyes actually saying, _Sorry mate, I didn’t even know._

“We’re setting up the surprise for Sonny now,” Toby said in the hushed tones of a co-conspirator, hand halfway covering his mouth. 

“Oh.” Dele paused for a half a second, his mouth curving into a grin. “Oh yeah.” He pushed away from Eric, took a step away before he stopped, held out his hand. “Come on, Dier,” Dele grinned. “I think you’ll like this.”

Eric frowned, ready to stay outside and sink into a sulk. But he couldn’t, could he? Not when he was at his teammate’s party. It wasn’t the time to throw a wobbly as if he were a tired child. 

“Promise?”

Dele waggled his fingers. “Promise.”

***

Didn’t know what to say when he saw the oversized Hello Kitty cake, complete with Hello Kitty mascot, and Sonny’s face half covered by his hands. His body shaking with --- and Eric hoped that it wasn’t tears, because Hello Kitty wasn’t _that bad_. You couldn’t blame it for loving... pink.

“I love it!” Sonny beamed, allowing himself to be drawn into Hello Kitty’s hug. 

“Congratulations, Sonny!” Harry said, the last person in the world you’d volunteer as a party compere, launching everyone into a gusty version _For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow_. Then tripping into, “Hip! Hip! Hooray.”

Eric drifted off, slinking against the wall, slipping his hands in his pockets. Sonny receiving hugs and taking pictures with everyone as if he too were a member of a K-pop group. Him and Dele launching into an impromptu performance of another K-Pop song, their teammates clearing space for them. This one with Korean lyrics, this time and Dele making a hash out of it. Also a bit too goofy for the moves, but game for everything. At the end, they both shared a hug. Sonny whispering something in Dele’s ear, Dele’s face stunned by surprise for a second, before he broke out laughing. 

Eric looked at his watch. 

He had been here long enough. It was time to leave.

***

“Hey, Eric!”

Eric stopped, car fob in hand. They were on the private road, covered by a canopy of lime trees, their leaves tipped and turning colour. The sky twilight, but not yet dark enough for street lights to flicker on. 

“Dele,” Eric said, pressing his fob in the direction of his car. Pulled his door open. 

“Leaving so soon?” Dele questioned, loping closer towards him. 

“Yeah,” Eric nodded, slipping into his Land Rover, not surprised when Dele jumped in the passenger seat. 

“Are we going somewhere?”

“I am,” Eric slid a look in Dele’s direction. “I don’t know about you.”

Dele folded his arms, his head resting against the headrest. “We’re ... good, right? You’ve been off your feed for the past couple of days.”

“Off my...?” Eric started, shook his head. “No,” he said. “I’ve been trying to ask you out for the past week, and I’ve been blocked by _everyone_ , so I’m trying again tomorrow.”

“What?”

“What what?”

“What did you say?”

Oh. 

The ground could just open up under him and swallow him whole, thank you very much.

Eric covered his face with his hands, letting out a half strangled moan. 

“Can we forget that I said that?”

Eric felt Dele shift in his seat, the smell of his cologne spicy and familiar. The air laden with silence, enough for Eric to move a finger to the left, and opened one eye. Saw Dele’s grin.

Shifted his finger right to block said grin. 

“No,” Dele said. 

Eric was afraid of that. 

“ _Dele_.”

“No,” Dele laughed, he was enjoying this too much, the absolute _tosser_. 

“Just kill me,” he moaned. Half wished that he was wearing a hoodie, so that he could zip it up from neck to face, hiding the rush of colour to his cheeks. 

“Eric,” Dele hummed, the pressure of his fingers on his wrist, and Eric allowed his hand to fall away. 

“Can we... reset this as if were ten minutes ago?” Eric grumped. “Everything after you calling out to me is a blur.”

“No.” Dele said. 

“Oh.”

Eric looked ahead, at the line of cars before him, the late evening sun turning the leaves into gold. In the distance, he heard the laughter of children. 

The odd chatter of birds and distant squeals of children making their surroundings seem quieter than dead silence ever could. 

Dele’s hand on his knee, Eric sliding his hand in Dele’s. The pulse of fingers as he squeezed Dele’s hand, sighing when Dele squeezed back. 

“Ask me,” Dele prompted, his voice warm and lazy, like a summer’s evening. “Spoiler alert: I’ll say yes.”

“Okay,” Eric couldn’t help it. Not his loopy grin, or the flush on his cheeks that stayed there like a banner, he was sure. 

“Well?”

“Wait,” Eric laughed. “Don’t rush me.”

“So I’m going to have to wait another week, then?”

“Piss off,” Eric huffed automatically, before something settled in him. Made him still. “Fine,” he said. 

“That’s my line.”

“Dele,” Eric couldn’t stop grinning. “Would you like to go out with me?”

“Yes,” Dele said.

_Fin_

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Say Yes [Podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17265011) by [ItsADrizzit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsADrizzit/pseuds/ItsADrizzit)




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